


Distant Bells

by neon189



Category: Free!, Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-01
Updated: 2014-08-16
Packaged: 2017-12-28 04:29:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/987649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neon189/pseuds/neon189
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if one day I disappeared? And you turn back but can't find me. Will you worry? Haruka turns back one day and can't find Makoto.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Something Different

It wasn’t as if Makoto didn’t see it. He was actually the first who noticed the bond between Haru and Rin, a bond born like a storm that left residues when it receded. Because of Rin, Haru changed. Because of Rin, a spark was born in Haru. The Haru who lived day to day, swimming only because he liked to, because he wanted to, changed. His eyes would widen as he watched Rin swim. After racing each other, reflected in Haru’s eyes is the joy of having a rival who loved swimming as much as he does. After practice, Haru who always biked home started running. He became competitive.

At first, Makoto was glad that Haru was changing. Haru who never made the effort to socialize was finally opening up. When Rin moved away, he was sad that he wouldn’t get to see a dear friend again. He was worried about Haru though. However, as days passed by, other than being sad like the rest of the team, Haru didn’t change. Then came the day Haru quit swimming competitively. Makoto never asked since he knew that it wasn’t his business no matter how worried or curious he was. Deep down though, he already knew that the reason had to do with Rin, though he knew not what.

When Rin came back, he was genuinely happy. Seeing an old friend is always a good thing in Makoto’s books. Even knowing this affected Haru the most, he was glad. Because they’re friends and Makoto didn’t want bad feelings between friends. 

After the relay race, things were going well. Haru and Rin were hanging out more often. They were always finding time to race and train w/ each other. It wasn’t as if it was just the two of them though, it was the whole team. Makoto expected this. He expected this. Of course, it didn’t mean that it would hurt less. Makoto has always known that the only one who could awaken such passion for swimming in Haru was Rin. It could never be Makoto, because he was scared of the ocean and any big body of water in general. He was scared, but he was more scared of not being able to be beside Haru. Haru was special, that’s why he tried so hard.

Months passed and Haru and Rin grew closer. It wasn’t until the first summer of their 3rd year that it was actually official. Makoto was happy for Haru. However, it wasn’t until that summer that he finally realized; he was alone. For the first time in his life, he felt completely lonely. Even when he was with the team, he was lonely.  
________________________________________

Climbing those familiar set of stairs was agonizing for Makoto. It felt like an eternity before he arrived at Haru’s front door. This time, he didn’t barge in as he usually did. This time, he waited.

“Hey, Haru-chan.”

“Why didn’t you just come in? The door isn’t locked. And don’t call me Haru-chan.” Haru said with a small pout.

They both moved into the living room in silence. For some reason, there was an awkward air between them. Haru didn’t like it but he didn’t know what to do about it. Makoto broke the silence.

“Haru seems fine without me now. I’m glad.”

“What do you mean?” Haru’s heart became uneasy. Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

“Nothing. I just meant that now there’s Nagisa, Rei, and Rin by your side now. I’m glad. I would be sad if Haru had no other friend than me.”

Haru looked down. “I’m glad they’re here as well. However, I don’t mind if I only had Makoto. Makoto knows me best after all.”

There was sadness in Makoto’s eyes but he covered it up before Haru looked up and notice. “Of course. How is it going with Rin?”

“It’s fine. It’s difficult sometimes, but fine.” For some reason Haru never liked to talk about his relationship with Rin when Makoto was around. He always felt uneasy. “We always argue about some things though.”

Makoto chuckled and asked, “Not about swimming though right?”

“No, not about swimming.”

“I’m glad. I just came to check on how you were doing. Since I have a lot of chores to do back at the house, I’ll be leaving now.”

Haru walked Makoto to the door. Watching Makoto put on his shoes with a feeling of unease in his heart. He had a feeling that he should say something but he didn’t know what.

“Bye, Haru-chan.” Makoto said as he left.

Haru’s eyes widened. Why did Makoto say goodbye? He was about to call out but a ringing from the living room made him stop.  
________________________________________

Standing in front of the train with a luggage at his side, Makoto said his farewells to his family and friends. He received warm hugs from his parents, promising them that he’ll take care of himself and call them every night if he can. There was a tearful goodbye from the twins, refusing to let go of their precious older brother. One by one, he hugged Nagisa, Rei, Kou, and Ama-sensei. 

“Did you really not tell Haru that you’re leaving for Tokyo today?” Nagisa asked.

“I didn’t have the heart to tell him directly that I was leaving. I did say goodbye though. In addition, I sent a message to Rin this morning. Since he has swimming practice he probably didn’t get it yet.” Makoto forced a smile. “Please look after Haru for me.”

“Makoto, you can cry you know. I’m your oldest friend after Haru. I know.”

“Don’t worry Nagisa. I already cried, not because I’m strong, but because I’m weak. That’s why I decided to participate in the exchange program to Tokyo. I want to be stronger. However, I probably won’t be able to grow if I stay here. I decided to go to a different place in hopes that I could become a different person than I am now. Stronger. Happier. Don’t worry. I definitely will be fine. Moreover, it’s only for one semester. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I believe in you, Makoto-sempai. There’s no way that someone like you won’t be happy. I’ll be cheering you on.” Kou said.

“Me, too. I hope everything goes well for you in Tokyo. Study well. Eat well. And make lots of friends sempai.” Rei said.

“Thank you everyone.” Makoto smiled. It was probably the first genuine smile that graced his face in a long while. At that moment, he felt truly happy that he had such great friends.  
________________________________________

Ama-sensei and Kou left for home while Nagisa and Rei decided to accompany the Tachibana family to their house. After saying farewell at the door, they turned to leave and saw Haruka at the gate.

“What are you two doing here?” he asked.

“We just came from the train station with the Tachibana family and decided to walk them back since we were going to see you anyways.” Answered Nagisa.

'The train station? Why would they go there?' “Why are you leaving so early then? We can all hang out here with Makoto.”

Nagisa and Rei stayed quiet and glanced at each other.

Seeing them do that, Haruka felt uneasy. Something was wrong. He narrowed his eyes and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Nagisa elbowed Rei.

After a moment, Rei finally relented and answered, “Haruka-sempai… we went to see Makoto-sempai off. He’s attending a school in Tokyo for this upcoming semester.”

Haruka’s eyes widened in shock. The only thing going through his mind was “Makoto left.” The only thing he could hear was the pounding of his heart. The only thing he could feel was panic.

His cell phone rang. He didn’t pick up.


	2. Gone With The Wind

I've got my ticket for the long way 'round

Two bottle whiskey for the way

And I sure would like some sweet company

Oh, I'm leaving tomorrow. What do you say?

 

It was a one-hour ride on the train from Iwatobi to Tottori Airport. It would have taken less time if he went by car but his parents had work later and he didn’t want to disturb them. It took a long time convincing them but they finally relented. His father convinced that his boy was growing up to be an independent man, was the first to surrender. His mother was a little harder. She cried and cried that her baby was going to live elsewhere, even if it was only for a little while. With the help of his father, he was able to calm her down. He was sad. His parents were a constant support in his life. Even though they would continue to be so, they wouldn’t be by his side. And the twins, he wondered if they would be all right without him. He hoped they would be.

 

When I'm gone (when I'm gone)

When I'm gone (when I'm gone)

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone

 

His thoughts went to Haru. Would he really be fine without him? Who would drag him out of the bath in the mornings? Who would make sure he ate something other than mackerel? Who would pull him out of the pool when it was getting dark? Then he remembered that Rin was there. Rin was by Haru’s side, not Makoto. He felt a searing pain in his heart. He was so lonely, so lonely that he wanted to cry again, to give up. Makoto’s special person is Haru. But Haru’s special person wasn’t Makoto. Love is a beautiful thing they said. Being in love was a wonderful state to be in they said. What they didn’t say was how painful it would be, if you were the only one.

 

You're gonna miss me by my hair

You're gonna miss me everywhere,

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone

 

‘I won’t cry. I won’t cry. I’ll be strong. I’ll be happy. One day, definitely, I’ll be happy. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.’

 

I've got my ticket for the long way 'round

The one with the prettiest view

It’s got mountains, it's got rivers

It's got woods that give you shivers

But it sure would be prettier with you

 

That’s right, he reminded himself. He will definitely be happy one day, with or without Haru. He’ll eat well. Study well. Laugh well. Cry well. Live well. And when he meets Haru again, he hopes that he’ll be able to congratulate Haru with a genuine smile. One day, one day, he’ll definitely be able to do it.

 

When I'm gone (when I'm gone)

When I'm gone (when I'm gone)

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone

* * *

 

Haru had plans to go swimming with Rin today. But after hearing the news about Makoto, he suddenly lost all urges to do anything. How odd. Whenever he was troubled, Haru could always count on water to clear his thoughts. But today, water couldn’t console him. Nothing could calm the thundering of his heart or the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach.

 

You're gonna miss me by my walk

You'll miss me by my talk

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone

 

Makoto was always there beside him. There wasn’t a time in which he remembered that Makoto wasn’t there with him. When did they meet? Where did they meet? Both Haru and Makoto couldn’t remember anymore. It didn’t bother them. They just accepted that they were always part of each other’s lives.

 

I've got my ticket for the long way 'round

These feet weren't built to stay too long

And I'll go there on my own

But you'll miss me when you're home

It's for you, dear, that I sing this song

 

But Makoto wasn’t here anymore. Haru didn’t expect to be in a situation where Makoto wasn’t there. He’d always expected that no matter what happens, there will always be water and there will always be Makoto. But now, there was only water, and everything felt so wrong, so empty.

 

When I'm gone (when I'm gone)

When I'm gone (when I'm gone)

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone

 

He looked at his cell phone. There were six missed calls and five unopened emails from Rin. There were three emails from Nagisa and two from Rei. They were probably worried about him. He felt bad. He should send a message telling them he was fine. But he wasn’t. He wasn’t fine. Not fine at all.

 

You're gonna miss me by my hair

You're gonna miss me everywhere

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone

 

TO: Rin

 

I’m at home. Can we see each other another time? I don’t feel so well.

 

FROM: Haru

 

When I'm gone

When I'm gone

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone

 

He decided to take a bath, hoping that he would feel a little better and think a little clearer afterwards. Minutes passed by. When he came to, the water was cold and his fingers were wrinkled. Strange, his fingers never got wrinkled when he was taking a bath. Makoto would always come and pull him out. That’s right. Makoto would pull him out. But Makoto wasn’t here anymore. Haru cried.

 

You're gonna miss me by my walk

You'll miss me by my talk

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.


	3. New Addition To The Household

It was different in Tokyo. Everything was faster, busier, more crowded. He passed by more people than he did in a week back in Iwatobi. Buildings lined the horizon, small ones, medium ones, big ones, skyscrapers. Makoto felt like he stepped into another world. He felt lost and scared, but beside those feelings, there was also excitement. There are so many things to do, places to see, and people to meet. Things were off to a good start. Makoto felt this was going to be a fun-filled semester.  
________________________________________

When Makoto first exited the gate to the waiting area, he wondered how he was going to get to the hostel he was staying at for the semester. He received a message saying that someone was going to be waiting for him with a sign of his name. He looked everywhere. Was it possible that they forgot about him?

“Excuse me.”

The voice came from beside him. Makoto spun around searching for the owner but couldn’t find him.

“I’m right here.”

Makoto looked down. There was a boy with light blue eyes staring up at him. What was strange was that his hair was also the same color.

“EHHHH? When did you appear?”

“I was here for quite a while now. You didn’t seem to notice me but that’s all right. It happens a lot. I’m use to it. You’re Tachibana Makoto correct?”

It was then that Makoto noticed the sign the boy was holding, it had his name on it. “Ahhh! Yes, that’s right. How do you do? My name is Tachibana Makoto. Please take care of me.”

“My name is Kuroko Tetsuya. Pleased to meet you. You don’t have to be so formal with me since we’ll be living together.”  
________________________________________

On the way to the Kuroko household Makoto was given a lecture on ‘Living in Tokyo 101.’ It was a lot to take in, especially about the trains. In Iwatobi there was only one train that took you everywhere and if you didn’t want to take the train, then you walk. In Tokyo, there were dozens of trains, JR East, JR West, and then there were stuff about transferring to another train. Makoto felt like his head was going to explode.

“Don’t worry about it. It all seems difficult at first but you’ll get use to it. The signs are pretty easy to understand and if you get lost you can always ask someone.” Kuroko said.

Makoto thought he was an interesting boy. He was very similar to Haru but also very different. They both sported a deadpan expression that rarely changes and both had blue eyes. However, Haru’s was a blue the color of the ocean while Kuroko’s was a blue the color of the sky. In Makoto’s opinion, they were both beautiful and suited their respective owners. Another difference was the presence of both. Haru was easily noticeable, what with all the times he made a ruckus when trying to take off his clothes. Moreover, since he spends half his day wearing nothing but his jammers, if girls didn’t squeal over him then Makoto would wonder what is wrong with the world. Kuroko on the other hand, Makoto lost sight of five times even though he was standing right next to him. Makoto was always conscious about other people so he swore to himself that he‘d definitely get use to Kuroko.  
________________________________________

The Kuroko family was a warm one. Kuroko’s parents reminded Makoto of his own. Kind, warm, but also a bit absent minded when it came to their son. It seems that they still tend to forget Kuroko was in the room with them sometimes. Kuroko didn’t mind and the two made up for it by doting on him whenever they do notice him as an apology. Interacting with them made him a bit homesick. It also reminded him that he should call his family to let them know he had arrived to Tokyo safe and sound. Makoto liked Kuroko’s grandmother the most though. She reminded him of Haru’s grandmother, another similarity between them. Unlike other people, she never lost sight of Kuroko. Kuroko loves her dearly. Makoto lost sense of time, spending time with the family and getting to know them. Their company was like a balm to Makoto’s soul. He felt like they would become very dear to him as his own family.

Upstairs in the guest room his cell phone rang and rang and rang.

Two Missed Calls: Haru  
________________________________________

Why wasn’t Makoto picking up the phone? Was he all right? Did he get to Tokyo unharmed? Was he lost? Has he eaten anything yet? Is he avoiding me? Does he hate me? These thoughts and more swirled in his head. His heart thundered and the unsettling feeling in his stomach grew worse as he listened to the constant ringing on the other end of the line. The thought of not hearing Makoto’s voice terrified him. Makoto’s presence by his side was always Haru’s comfort. The same could be said for Makoto. However, it was different now. Makoto who clung to Haru when he was scared didn’t need him anymore. Haru always thought Makoto was the dependant one. That isn’t true though. Haru was always the one dependant on Makoto.

The line finally picked up. “Haru-chan?”

Haru’s eyes brightened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I agonized over whether I should make this a crossover with Kuroko no Basket or should I create my own characters. I decided to go with the former. Thinking up the details to fill in my plot is already difficult enough with all the schoolwork I have. Making time to think up entirely new characters would short circuit my brain. I hope every one reading my story isn't turned off by it. On the other hand, KUROKO NO BASKET SEASON 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> *Clears throat.* Thank you everyone for reading my story and giving me kudos. And to all you silent readers, if you enjoy my story, please give me kudos. It's candy to me, makes me happy, and encourages me to get off my lazy ass and write a new chapter. Love you all.


	4. Time Apart

He liked watching movies. It was listed right below water, chores, and video games. Haru was waiting for Rin to get food and drinks for their date at the movies. He didn’t feel like going anywhere. However, since he had blown off their date the day before, he had felt guilty. Moreover, it wasn’t as if things were going to get better if he just stayed home and moped. He let Rin decide what to do since he didn’t really care. Actually, he would prefer it if they raced each other or just swam in general but Rin already does that almost every day so Haru decided something different was fine. Shopping was out of the question. They would probably head straight to the swim section and top-notch accessories and suits were quite expensive. Their parents would give them a lecture if they used more money on swim stuffs, which they already did at the beginning of summer. Music they could just download it free. Amusement parks are more fun when going with more than two people and the others already had plans of their own. So Rin decided on going to the movies hoping that it would distract Haru. Moreover, there was a movie he wanted to see.

Haru didn’t care much for the movie. It was about a racecar driver and the only sports movies or shows he likes are all about swimming. However, there’s not many about swimming sadly. He didn’t mind watching it though. Since he had no interest in it then he’ll probably just doze off without Rin noticing…hopefully.

“Haru, we should get our seats before they’re all filled up.” Rin walked towards him with drinks and a big bag of popcorns. Haru didn’t understand why they had to hurry. It was probably not going to be full.

Haru followed him silently. They found a seat way in the back near the aisle. Waiting for the movie to start got him thinking about the phone call he had with Makoto.  
________________________________________

“Haru-chan?” Makoto’s voice quelled the unease inside Haru.

“Makoto…” Haru tried to find words but he couldn’t think of anything. He didn’t even pout and berate Makoto for calling him Haru-chan. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to ask that he didn’t know where to start. Nevertheless, typical Makoto, he always knew what was on Haru’s mind even if they weren’t face to face.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about moving to Tokyo. I felt that it would be harder for me to leave if you knew and came to see me off. I was scared that I would start doubting my decision and change my mind.”

Haru swallowed a sob. “When did you make this decision?”

“Before the end of our 2nd year. Ama-sensei knew of my desire to study at a university in Tokyo. She asked me if I wanted to study here for a semester to see what it would be like living in the big city. I felt like it was time to leave and so I took it.”

‘Leave? Why? What about me?’ He left this unspoken. He wasn’t confident that it wouldn’t come out in broken sobs. 

“I knew you would be saddened by my decision. Moreover, you’re probably more saddened that I kept it from you. I’m sorry. Nevertheless, I truly felt like I had to leave in order to find myself. We’ve been together for almost all of our lives, never truly leaving each other’s side. I felt like our growth would be stunted if we didn’t spend some time apart. We’re not children anymore. Soon we’ll be going off on different paths. Before I make my final decision on my future, I wanted to see what it would be like living without you. Think of it as a test. It’ll be different without you. However, I’ll be fine. I’m living with the family of one of the students at my school. His name is Kuroko Tetsuya. He reminds me of you, but also not. He’s different. I think we’ll probably get along well. Don’t worry about me. Enough about me. How about you? I know you probably didn’t take me leaving well, but are you taking care of yourself? Are you eating well? Did you stay in the tub long? Is…it going all right with Rin?”

‘Time apart? Stunted growth? Future?’ Thoughts of what Makoto said swirled in Haru’s head. He didn’t’ want to spend any time apart from Makoto. Even if they took different paths, he wanted his path to be parallel with Makoto. Moreover, without Makoto, he had difficult socializing with anyone. What is he going to do for the semester? Every day would be boring and frustrating.

“Haru?”

“Everything is fine.” ‘No, nothing is fine.’ “I hope you have fun.” ‘Please come back.’

“Haru…”

Damn. It was times like these that he didn’t like their bond. Sometimes there were things he really wanted to keep hidden from everyone but Makoto would instinctively know something was wrong. Speaking of their bond, it usually goes both ways, but why didn’t he feel anything from Makoto? The only time that he felt something was wrong was the night before he left.

“I’ll be fine. Have fun. When you want to talk, you can call me anytime. I’ll keep my phone with me.”  
________________________________________

The movie ended. Haru was lucky that he caught himself and paid attention during the last few minutes of the film. They waited until they were one of the last people in the theater before getting up from their seats.

“That was awesome wasn’t it? If I didn’t like swimming so much I would probably try my hand at racing.”

“It was okay.” Haru lied. He didn’t want Rin to feel bad if he found out he didn’t pay any attention at all.

“Do you want to go eat?”

“I’m already full from the popcorn. Let’s just –“

RING……

Haru’s phone rang. He quickly picked it up without looking at the caller id. “Hello?”

“Haru? This is Makoto’s mother.”

“Oh…hello.”

“Are you free? Unfortunately, Miyazawa-san from down the street hasn’t been feeling well so I’m taking her to the clinic. I don’t know how long it will take so I don’t want to take the twins with me. However, with Makoto gone there’s no one to look after them now. If you’re free can you come and babysit them?”

“Ok. When will you be going?”

“Within the hour. Can you make it?”

“I’ll be there.”

“Thank you so much. Haru, since Makoto is in Tokyo, you can depend on us a little. To us, you’re family.”

“Hai.” Haru hung up.

“Is everything ok?” Rin asked.

“Yeah. There’s something I have to do. Let’s split up here.”

Rin looked like he was going to protest but after a moment said, “Ok. We’ll talk later then.”  
________________________________________

Taking care of the twins was a handful. Usually he had Makoto with him so he didn’t have to exert much energy. He finally got them to take a nap after they entered into an argument about who could talk to Makoto first. Unfortunately for them, they both didn’t get to even make a call. They ended up crying over how lonely it was that Makoto wasn’t there with him and all Haru could do was sympathize and console them as they clung to his arms. After making sure that the twins were tucked in their beds, he made his way to Makoto’s room. Everything was the same. It was like Makoto never left. Haru ended up falling asleep from exhaustion on Makoto’s bed, wearing Makoto’s favorite orange shirt that he always ended up borrowing whenever he was over. He breathed in Makoto’s comforting scent before falling into an easy sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up taking me a few hours to write because of all the tv series I've been catching up on. I hope you enjoy it. As for me, I have a feeling that something's missing but I want to get this chapter up before going to class. And damn...Rin is so difficult for me to write. Maybe that's why I felt like something is missing. Oh well.
> 
> And speaking of tv series, tonight Agents of Shield and The Originals are airing at the same time and I can't decide what to watch. Secret agents with all these awesome tech or vampires and magic? Please help me decide by commenting. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	5. Sightseeing

The next day was filled with new sights and sounds for Makoto. In the early morning, Kuroko took him to his boyfriend’s house. Kagami Taiga was everything that Makoto thought he would be. Tall, imposing, and with the intensity of a tiger. However, he was also friendly with a great talent at cooking and cleaning. On the way, Kuroko explained that he also had a dog, a Siberian husky named Tetsuya #2. He didn’t know if Makoto was good with dogs so he had Nigou stay with Kagami for a couple days. Apparently, it seems like Makoto had an affinity with all animals, not only cats. One sniff of his hand and Nigou was barking happily at his feet, wanting to be picked up and petted. After a hearty breakfast made by Kagami (in which case Makoto stared for a whole minute while Kagami shoveled food into his mouth) all four of them went sightseeing. Actually, it was Makoto who was sightseeing with Nigou snuggled in his arms and the other two acting as guides (Kagami was less of a guide and more of a tag-a-long).

The first place they went to was Ueno Park. They went to the National Museum and ate some snacks at Ameya-yokocho. The grilled mochi was so amazing that Kagami had three servings. Next, they spent a few hours at the zoo. It was packed with tourists and families bringing their kids to have fun before school starts in a few days. Next, they stopped at Meiji Shrine, each praying for good things for themselves and the people they love. Both Kagami and Kuroko noticed the wistful look Makoto had on his face as he finished his prayer but they didn’t comment on it. Nigou whined at his feet, sensing the sadness that emanated from Makoto.

“Are you tired, Tachibana-senpai?” Kuroko asked.

“No, no. I’m just a bit homesick. It’s the first time in my life that I’ve really been away from home.” Makoto said.

“It’ll get better. The first time I came here, I had a bit of a culture shock. It took some time getting use to but I’ve come to like living here.” Kagami said.

The rest of the day was spent shopping at Shibuya and window-shopping at Ginza. Makoto gazed in awe at all the brand name stores that lined the streets. He wondered if he would ever have the chance to buy expensive stuff for his family. A tie for his dad, a Louis Vuitton handbag for his mom. The twins would have to wait a few more years. Ran might decide she wanted to be a tomboy and Ren will hit his growth spurt (he always hoped to be like his precious brother Makoto).

They decided to have dinner at a sushi place in Ikebukuro before heading back home. Kagami became friends with the owner so he got a discount. As they walked to the sushi place (Makoto wondered why they would name it Russia Sushi), they heard a ruckus nearby like something (it ended up being a vendor) being thrown. The spectacle that greeted them was a slim black haired man being chased by a blond haired bartender.

“IZAYAAAAAAAAAA!”

“What’s going on?” Makoto asked, bewildered.”

“It’s a common occurrence here in Ikebukuro. Very entertaining to watch. I wonder if I could learn how to do that.” Kuroko said.

“You don’t have the stamina to do parkour.” Kagami said with a drawl.

“My stamina’s much better now thanks to basketball training and Kagami.”

At the insinuation, both of the taller boys’ faces turned a deep red that Kuroko wondered if they were going to faint.

“DON’T SAY STUFF LIKE THAT IN PUBLIC STUPID, ESPECIALLY WITH THAT DEADPAN EXPRESSION OF YOURS.” Kagami yelled, although there was no anger in his tone.

“It’s Kagami that’s calling all of the attention. No one notices me anyway so they probably won’t care if I said I enjoy it when Kagami marks m—“

Kagami covered the smaller boy’s mouth and dragged him into the restaurant before they made even more of a ruckus. Makoto followed behind them with a smile and his face less red than before, not forgetting to put Nigou in Kuroko’s sports bag that they brought with them.

As the day ended, Kagami went his separate ways but not before giving Kuroko a deep kiss goodbye. Makoto turned away to give them some privacy.

“Did you have fun Tachibana-senpai?” Kuroko asked.

“Yes. There’s so much to do in Tokyo. It’s all overwhelming since Iwatobi is such a small town. I think I’ll enjoy my stay here greatly.”

“I’m glad. There’s more to do before school starts. I’ll take you to see more temples tomorrow and we’ll probably go to Shinjuku as well.”

“That means we’ll both have to get a full night of rest. What about Nigou? He doesn’t seem to want to part from me.”

“It’s fine. Dogs can sense when you’re sad. Nigou wants to stay with you because he can sense that there’s some sadness about you.”

“You noticed?”

“People leave me alone because they don’t notice me so it gives me a chance to observe them. I’m very good at it.”

Makoto retreated to his room and set Nigou down on his bed before making his way to the bathroom. He was going to call his family after taking a shower but ended up falling asleep right after his head hit the pillow. He fell asleep to the sensation of Nigou curling against his stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tokyo centric this chapter. If anyone was wondering why Kuroko called Makoto his senpai, I made him a year older. I was going to make them the same year but that would mean they would all be third years, meaning no Kiyoshi, Hyuuga and the rest of the seniors.
> 
> Thank you for reading and please comment and/or give me kudos.


	6. Thoughts

It was a few days before the start of term and Rin used the time he had left to get himself settled into his dorm room. He found it relaxing and it gave him time to think about the past summer. He still couldn’t believe that he and Haru were dating. In all honestly, it came out of nowhere. One moment they were racing each other as usual, and the next Rin blurted out that the two should go out on a date. After thinking about it multiple times, Rin decided that it was probably adrenaline but at that moment, he couldn’t really think about anything because he wasn’t rejected.

That summer was a dream for him. He didn’t know if it was actually real or not. He and Haru spent their dates racing each other and then getting lunch or dinner afterwards at a local restaurant. In his opinion, there wasn’t that much of a difference from when they weren’t dating just that they also made out now. Living in Australia made Rin a veteran at making out. Kissing Haru wasn’t his first kiss although it was his first when it came to kissing someone of the same gender. His first thought was that he didn’t hate it. He didn’t know what Haru thought about it. Haru didn’t really have much of a reaction except just tensing up for a bit before relaxing into the kiss. After dating for some time, Rin decided that half the time he was enjoying himself and half the time he felt frustrated because he couldn’t read Haru. He still didn’t know what Haru felt about their relationship. Rin himself didn’t even know what he felt. All that he knows is that he is inspired by the beauty of Haru when he’s swimming. It’s where his rivalry with Haru stems from.

These past few days were hectic for him because of the dorms opening up. He was so busy packing up and cleaning his room that by the time he noticed something was wrong, Makoto was already on a train to Tokyo. His first reaction was to call Haru. Then and now, it was Makoto who was always closest to Haru. No one would deny that there would be no relationship that could surpass the one those two had. Thinking about it now, Rin realized that it’s probably why Makoto left, or at least one of the reasons. The days after were even more difficult for Rin. Haru withdrew into himself. He wasn’t one to voice his thoughts with his own mouth so now that Makoto was gone, Haru was like a locked door with the keys all the way in another city. Rin tried to cheer him up with a date but the sadness never dissipated.

Rin was knocked out of his thoughts when the door closed behind him.

“You’re late Ai.”

“I’ve been called lots of things but ‘love’ has never been one of them.”

Rin turned around and came face to face with a stranger. The man had silver hair like Nitori. However, he was taller, broader, and rather than pretty, he was handsome. His purple eyes were penetrating. Rin was reminded of the moon on a clear night.

“Who the fuck are you?”

“Kiryu Zero, your new roommate.”

“Oh hell no!” Rin rushed out the door after that remark, determined to find his rightful roommate.  
________________________________________

At the Nanase household, Haru was just lying in bed, hoping for a phone call from Makoto. It was lonely without Makoto. He had Rin and the gang to hang out with but it wasn’t the same. Even though they had grown closer in different ways, Haru still had trouble voicing his thoughts sincerely. Makoto always spoke for him. Makoto was his connection to other people. If not for Makoto, Haru would probably have no friends. All of the relations he has are the ones Makoto had to push him into.

‘Is this what Makoto meant by having your growth stunted? How useless am I? Makoto left because he wanted to learn what it’s like to live without me, but the one who is falling apart isn’t Makoto. The one who constantly needs to be supported isn’t Makoto.’

Haruka pressed the #1 speed dial. The phone rang. No one picked up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took so long to update but I was finally able to pull it off. Thank you to everyone who is still following my story. I hope to be able to continue writing more often now that my break is over. For me break just makes my brain turn off automatically. Every one of my muse goes on vacation during this time. FIGHTING!!! Let's do this!


	7. The Final Goodbye

Haruka was a morning person. It meant more time in the bath before Makoto came to coax him out of the house for the day. This particular morning was different. Haruka woke up early to check if there were any messages from Makoto. He never placed any importance in having a phone before. He had only agreed to get it because it would be easier to keep in contact with his parents. Now he spent every moment hoping that he would hear the ringtone blearing “Splash Free.” The “ping” sound of a message that once annoyed him to no end became a comforting sound he looked forward to hearing.

With a dejected look on his face, Haruka put his phone to sleep. There were no messages or calls from Makoto. He wondered if the reason was that it was too early or if Makoto was just busy. There were so many reasons that whirled around in his head. 

‘Should I call him? What if he’s still asleep? Makoto isn’t a late sleeper, he should be awake. Maybe I should text him instead.’

After mulling around what he should send, Haruka finally decided on a simple “How is everything in Tokyo?” He hoped that he wouldn’t have to wait a whole day for a reply. ‘Is this how other people feel when they call or text me? Do they wonder whether it’ll take a whole day for me to reply? Nagisa would probably call this karma.’  
________________________________________

Makoto woke up later than usual that day. The toll of being in an unfamiliar place and the energy used up sightseeing the day before caught up to him.

“I’m so sorry. This has never happened before. I usually wake up early.” Makoto apologized profusely to Kuroko’s mother. He didn’t want to come off as a lazy person who liked to wake up late.

“It’s no problem. Yesterday was a long day. You both woke up early and came back home late. I don’t mind that you slept in. School is starting in a few days so you won’t have the luxury of sleeping in anymore. Better to do it now. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right.”

Makoto and Kuroko’s mother both jumped at the voice.

“Tetsu-kun, did you just wake up?”

“I’ve been sitting here for the past 30 minutes now.”

Both Makoto and Kuroko’s mother sweat dropped.

“Are you two hungry? I put this morning’s breakfast in the refrigerator.”

“I’ve already made plans with Kagami today. We’re taking Makoto out to Akihabara and a few other places.”

“Well have fun you two.”

Instead of meeting Kagami at his apartment this time, they met at Akihabara Station. It was crowded. It amazed Makoto how many people lived in Tokyo. He had always thought that he would spend his life close by Iwatobi… close by Haru. Being in the big city made him realize that the world was a much bigger place than the small town he lived in. Maybe he would decide to cast his lot in this sleepless city; maybe he would return to the quietness of Iwatobi. At this moment though, Makoto was glad that he came to Tokyo. He was glad that he met Kuroko and Kagami. Wondering about the many friends he would be able to make in Tokyo made his heart swell with happiness. He remembered a saying he once read somewhere.

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”

Makoto genuinely felt that new worlds were being born inside of him. Little by little, he became less afraid. Even if his future has sadness and tears, he would move forward. He wanted to be happy. He wanted to smile with tears in his eyes. No matter what, he wouldn’t go back. For Makoto, there was no going back. He hoped to treasure the new worlds being born in his heart even more.

“KUROKOCHII!!!!!!!!!!”

“We should go this way.” Kuroko calmly said.

“So mean Kurokochii!!!!! Don’t walk away!!!!” The owner of the voice was a tall young man with hair and eyes like the sun. He reminded Makoto of Nagisa, except taller… much taller.

“Che. Anyone would walk away with you screaming their name out like that.” The owner of this voice was also tall. Tall, dark, and intimidating with that permanent scowl on his face. He reminded Makoto of a panther.

“Kise-kun. Aomine-kun.” Kuroko greeted them.

“Yo, Tetsu. Who’s this?”

“This is Tachibana Makoto. He’s a transfer from Iwatobi High School for this semester. Makoto-senpai, this is Kise Ryota and Aomine Daiki. They go to different schools but they’re my old classmates from Teiko Middle School.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

“Same here. Iwatobi? I’ve never heard of that place before.” Said Kise.

“It’s a small town by the sea.”

“By the sea? You must have good crawfish there.” Said Aomine.

“Aomine-kun, I know you like crawfish but you should watch your health. You might get high cholesterol.” Said Kuroko.

“Shut up Tetsu. And stop snickering Bakagami!”  


“What did you say Ahomine?” Not even a second later Kagami and Aomine were up in each other’s faces. Makoto had a vision of a ferocious tiger and a sleek black panther growling at each other.

“Now now you two, you’re making a scene. How about we go to a café I know a couple blocks from here. It has a friendly atmosphere. We can get to know each other there as well.” Kise said while getting between the two.

An hour later all of them were sitting at a table in the Cat’s Eye Café while listening to a beautiful woman with curly black hair cascading down her back sing on stage.

 

toki no mukou kaze no machi e  
nee, tsureteitte  
shiroi hana no yume kanaete

amai yubi de kono te wo tori  
nee, tooi michi wo  
michibiite hoshii no  
anata no soba e

sono utagoe taenai hirusagari  
mezamete futari wa hitotsu ni nari  
shiawase no imi wo hajimete shiru no deshou  
tsureteitte...

sono utagoe setsunaku takaraka ni  
subete no kokoro ni hibiku no deshou  
shiawase no imi wo shirazu ni nemuru yoru ni...

mada shiranai yume no mukou  
nee, tooi michi wo  
futari de yukeru wa  
kaze no machi e

 

(To the town of wind on the other side of time  
Come on, take me there  
Make my dream of white flowers come true

Take this hand with your sweet fingers  
Come on, I want you to lead me  
On the distant road  
To your side

That singing voice won't cease in the afternoon  
Together we wake to become one  
We will know the meaning of happiness for the first time  
Take me with you...

That singing voice will heartrendingly and loudly  
Echo in every heart  
Never knowing the meaning of happiness when they sleep at night...

The other side of our dreams are still unknown to us  
Come on, together we can go  
On the distant road  
To the town of wind)

 

“Wow. That was beautiful.” Kise voiced the thought that went through everyone’s brain.

“Oruha-san is a talented singer and a beautiful person as well. We’re lucky to have her sing at our café. The voice belonged to a foreigner with golden hair and blue eyes. His hair fell in a way that gave him a halo effect and his eyes reminded Makoto of sapphires. He introduced himself as the bartender Fai. Three others worked the café with him. One was a tall man with black hair and red eyes named Kurogane. One was a young man with chestnut brown hair and eyes named Syaoran. The last was a pretty young girl with auburn hair and eyes like emeralds (which Kuroko commented that she and Makoto have very similar eyes) named Sakura. There was also a mascot that looked like a bunny (but not) named Mokona. It seemed to like Kagami’s and Aomine’s head since it would keep jumping on top of them. Unfortunately, Kagami and Aomine were thoroughly annoyed. They kept trying to catch Mokona however, their efforts ended in epic failure.

“I agree. I wish I could sing like that.” Makoto said.

“I’ve heard Makoto-senpai sing in the shower. I think you have a very pleasing voice.” Said Kuroko.

“EHHHH? Was I that loud?” Makoto asked. His face was as red as Kagami’s hair.

“I want to hear you sing. I nominate Makochii to sing next.” Kise urged.

“EHHHHHHHHH?!!!!”

It took nearly 10 minutes for everyone to convince Makoto to go up on stage. The only reason he relented was only because they would get a discount if Makoto went up and sang. Kuroko complimented Fai on playing dirty. They gave each other a high-five. Next to them Kise was preparing to videotape the performance on his cell phone.

Makoto never sang on stage before. Even though there were only a few tables filled, the thought of having an audience terrified him. He closed his eyes and let the piano music flow soothe him.

 

Say something, I'm giving up on you  
I'll be the one, if you want me to  
Anywhere I would've followed you  
Say something, I'm giving up on you

And I am feeling so small  
It was over my head  
I know nothing at all

And I will stumble and fall  
I'm still learning to love  
Just starting to crawl

Say something, I'm giving up on you  
I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you  
Anywhere I would've followed you  
Say something, I'm giving up on you

And I will swallow my pride  
You're the one that I love  
And I'm saying goodbye

Say something, I'm giving up on you  
And I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you  
And anywhere I would've followed you (Oh-oh-oh-oh)  
Say something, I'm giving up on you

Say something, I'm giving up on you  
Say something...

 

By the end of the song, tears were falling from Makoto’s eyes. Even so there was a feeling of exhilaration flowing through him. He excused himself for some air outside as everyone applauded his performance. Fortunately for Makoto, his friends understood that he wanted to be alone and so they didn’t disturb him. It was a few minutes later when he felt his back being covered. Makoto looked up and saw Sakura standing over him.

“I thought you would be cold out here without a jacket so I brought yours out for you.”

“Thank you Sakura-chan.”

Instead of going back inside, Sakura sat next to Makoto. Nothing was said between them. It was a comforting silence until “Splash Free” disturbed it. Makoto looked at the caller ID but didn’t pick up.

“Haru-chan? Is that the name of your special person?”

“Hai.”

“Is he also the person you were thinking about when you were singing?”

Makoto looked up at the stars with a sad smile. He looked down in surprise when he felt a hand covering his.

“Everything will be all right. I’m sure of it. Your special person will surely one day understand the feelings you want to convey.”

Makoto didn’t know why but he truly believed in Sakura’s words. It didn’t give him hope. It was more like a fact. Everything will be all right.  
________________________________________

Sakura went back inside first while Makoto stayed outside to make a long awaited phone call.

“Is everything all right Sakura-chan?” Fai asked when Sakura walked into the kitchen.

“Hai. I’m sure everything will be all right.”

“That’s good. It’s a little weird to meet Makoto without Haruka by his side. In every world we went to they were always together.”

“I know. In a way, they remind me of my big brother and Yukito. Those two are always together in every world. For the Makoto and Haruka of this world, I truly hope the many tears that will be shed, will be worth it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn. Just... damn. Haven't updated in so long. Sorry to everyone who waited and I hope you like this chapter. I think this is my longest chapter yet and also makes it official that I suck at dialogues. Oh well. Anyways, if you like the story please give me kudos (if you haven't already) and please comment. I love comments from my readers.
> 
> I also hope you guys like the crossover in this chapter. I love CLAMP and all their works. They have influenced my life and way of thinking for a very long time. They will always define "soulmate" for me. Fist bump to CLAMP fans who are reading my story and to those who aren't, I recommend you go read their works. So many feels man T_T. They will fucking destroy you and break you down into tears and WTF moments. God I love them.
> 
> “Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” -Anais Nin


	8. First Day

The first day of school was nerve wrecking for Makoto. The years before he had Haru and even the places were familiar to him; somewhere he has lived his whole life. Now he was in a new city, vast, beautiful, and strange. At least he had Kuroko and Kagami. They had become his lifeline. The only downside was that they were both his juniors. It would be scary without them, but this was the purpose of coming to Tokyo. If he could not live alone by himself, he would never be able to move forward.

“Are you ready Makoto-senpai?” Kuroko asked.

“No, not really.” With that, the two stepped through the gates of Seirin High.  
________________________________________

“Settle down everyone, I have a new classmate to introduce to you. Be nice and make him feel welcomed.”

“Pleased to meet everyone, my name is Tachibana Makoto. I am from a small fishing town called Iwatobi. This is my first time in Tokyo so I hope to be guided by everyone. Please take care of me. Thank you.”

All the girls (and some of the guys) swooned and giggled at the smiling face of one Tachibana Makoto. He had the face of an angel. Bright gentle eyes that turned into upside down moons when he smiled. The way he tilted his head was completely adorable. He was tall, but not overly tall. Moreover, even through the uniform there was a hint of a fit form that was kept in perfect shape. More than half the students of class 3B thanked whatever god was out there for bestowing a sexy and adorable specimen upon them. Of course, the object of attention was completely oblivious to the fact that he has already shot up to the top spot of #1 Sexiest/Cutest/Most Popular boy in Seirin High (which the other half of the class were lamenting, most likely there would be no competition at all this year).

The teacher’s train of thought was how to convince Tachibana to run for Class President. It would probably make his life much easier seeing as the boy looked like he could convince everyone of anything and everything. “Tachibana you can sit next to Kiyoshi near the window.”

“My name is Kiyoshi Teppei. I hope you like it here.” Even sitting down one could tell that he was exceptionally tall for a Japanese man. He had a strong build and yet his face was gentle and kind, not at all unlike Makoto. The only difference would be that Kiyoshi’s personality is quite eccentric and the girls think him too weird for their taste. “You have the same name as someone I know. But your personality is a complete 180 from his.”

“My name is Hyuuga Junpei.” His face screamed delinquent but if one were to look closer, something about him oozed charisma. “I agree you’re definitely different. It’s a good different though.”

“My name is Izuki Shun.” The speaker was quite handsome. He seemed like the type who would be popular with the girls (this would be everyone’s first impression, their second… not so great). “You are like the sun on a bright summer day while that Makoto is like the moon when it’s a lunar eclipse. Good looking but ominous.”

“……………………How poetic. Did you finally realize your jokes suck and switched to poetry?” asked Hyuuga with a smirk on his face.

“How mean. I’m just a bit rusty because I haven’t been reading my joke books as much this summer.”  
“Say…..are you interested in basketball?” The speaker was a shorthaired girl.

“Riko is fast, getting her hands on the harp.”

“………….Izuki………..shut up. It’s not funny at all.”  
________________________________________

It was the first day of school for Rin and he was already suffering from a migraine. Not only did Ai refuse to move back into the room with him, his new roommate was moody and depressed. And the phone calls. Every 15 minutes there would be a phone call that Kiryu would glance at and then ignore. God it drove him crazy. Whomever this ‘stupid Kaname’ is Rin just wished that he would haul his clingy ass to Samezuka and drag Kiryu back to where he came from.  
________________________________________

Well you only need the light when it's burning low  
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow  
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low  
Only hate the road when you’re missin' home  
Only know you love her when you let her go  
And you let her go

Staring at the bottom of your glass  
Hoping one day you'll make a dream last  
But dreams come slow and they go so fast

You see her when you close your eyes  
Maybe one day you'll understand why  
Everything you touch surely dies

But you only need the light when it's burning low  
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow  
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low  
Only hate the road when you're missin' home  
Only know you love her when you let her go

Staring at the ceiling in the dark  
Same old empty feeling in your heart  
'Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast

Well you see her when you fall asleep  
But never to touch and never to keep  
'Cause you loved her too much  
And you dived too deep

Well you only need the light when it's burning low  
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow  
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low  
Only hate the road when you're missin' home  
Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go (oh, oh, ooh, oh no)  
And you let her go (oh, oh, ooh, oh no)  
Will you let her go?

'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low  
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow  
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low  
Only hate the road when you're missin' home  
Only know you love her when you let her go

'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low  
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow  
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low  
Only hate the road when you're missin' home  
Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go

It was Haru’s first day of school and one of the lonliest days of his life. Haru was a loner when it came to society. Just like his name, he was always distant. That never deterred Makoto from becoming friends with Haru though. Every first day of school, even if he didn’t want to, he would always cross those gates with Makoto. This would be the first time since he could remember that he was by himself. The thought of being by himself never bothered Haru though. He didn’t have many people in his life and those that were passed through like the wind, leaving imprints in his memories. Haru wasn’t afraid of being alone, because even when he had nothing, he had Makoto.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating for so long and thank you for waiting patiently. I'm sure everyone understands life and first class laziness. This chapter came out longer than I expected so I'm quite happy about it. Anyways, no new crossovers other than Free!/KnB for this one but there was a mentioning.
> 
> Makoto's name is the character 'shin' for true or real and 'koto' which is a Japanese harp (although it's closer to the zither which is played in eastern Europe and China). So Riko getting her hands on the harp is basically her getting her hands on Makoto. It sucks but it's perfect for Izuki because his jokes/puns are already that bad.
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading my story. Please hit the kudo button and even better, please comment. I love you guys.


	9. You Raise Me Up

It seemed like forever until the bell rang, signifying that school had end and the students were free to go. Haru made his way to the pool, hoping to spend the rest of the afternoon submerged and free of worldly problems. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to be because Gou and his teammates had already beaten him to the pool.

“Haru-chan is here! Hurry up slowpoke.” Nagisa’s voice was always a blast of sunshine and candy. Haru never said it aloud, but he was always grateful that Nagisa was Nagisa. Other than Makoto, Nagisa was the other person who could make him smile even though he felt down.

“Haru-senpai, we’re trying to decide what to do to get new members. At the moment, we’ve come up with zero plans.” When Haru first met Rei, his first impression was that he didn’t like this person who couldn’t even tread water. To him, someone like that was a waste of his time but one of Rei’s defining points was that he tried hard at everything. This aspect touched Haru’s heart and Rei became an irreplaceable friend.

“You decide Rei. You’re the new captain after all.” In seconds, Haru’s clothes were off and he dove into the pool.  
________________________________________

At the end of the day, Rin flopped onto his bed with a sigh. He knew that being captain of the swim club would be tiring but he didn’t expect it to drain him on the first day. Since Samezuka was a powerhouse school for athletes, he had expectations to uphold and it made him nervous. He had never expected that Mikoshiba-senpai would choose him as his successor. 

He felt like he was living in a dream. Being captain and even his relationship with Haru was something he almost expected to fade away. Thinking of Haru, he realized that they hadn’t talked in a couple of days. He was so busy that he forgot about everything else except his classes and the swim club. Grabbing his phone, Rin checked his messages. “0 Messages.” He wasn’t surprised; Haru was never one to call other people to talk about how the day went. Pressing call, Rin waited patiently for Haru to pick up. After he was sent to voicemail, he made his peace with the fact that whether they were friends or boyfriends, Haru would never be in reach of his phone. The guy was probably still taking a bath or something. Rin sighed and drifted off but before he was completely embraced in the arms of sleep, he heard the door open.

“Thanks for switching rooms with me.”

“No problem. It’s much easier for the both of us since he’s your boyfriend.”

“Don’t give Matsuoka a heart attack though.”

There was a chuckle. “I don’t think that can be avoided though. We haven’t seen each other in a long time. He might scream, thinking I’m a ghost.”

“You’re friends with him?”

“Yeah.”

Friends? Rin wondered who the owner of the voice was. He tried to open his eyes but his strength left him. The events of the day caught up to him and he fell into a dreamless sleep.  
________________________________________

The water was cold before Haru decided to step out of the tub. A recent text from Makoto brought him into unwanted memories. It was during middle school and Makoto was scouted to be in the basketball club. He remembered how he felt when he heard Makoto would try out for the club. It was lonely, not being able to swim with Makoto. And so he decided that playing basketball was fine. It wasn’t as special as swimming, but since he was swimming meaninglessly, it was the same as playing basketball meaninglessly. It was still better because at least Makoto was there.

He never expected to be in the same situation. He thought about it in the bath. It was lonely not being able to swim with Makoto but he couldn’t stop swimming either. He thought about how hurt Nagisa and Rei would be if he did stop, it would be like his situation with Rin again. Many things had changed and this change was possible because of Makoto. If it wasn’t because of the push that he received from Makoto, he would never have been able to swim with such amazing friends. Makoto pulled him from the darkness and it hurt him when he realized that Makoto also went through a dark period by himself without the help of anyone. It took him this long to realize that even knowing Makoto for so long, he was still clueless to some of his most sensitive feelings.

When I am down and, oh, my soul, so weary;  
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;  
Then I am still and wait here in the silence,  
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;  
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;  
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;  
You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;  
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;  
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;  
You raise me up to more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;  
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;  
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,  
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;  
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;  
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;  
You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;  
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;  
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;  
You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up to more than I can be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry again for the long wait. I was going to update before the airing of Eternal Summer but I decided to wait to see what new options I could use for my story. Unfortunately I ended up being lazy and just pushing the update back and now I'm on vacation for 3 months. Vacation kept me busy and when I was free I just ended up even lazier than I usually am. But I decided that today is the day I'm updating and finally came through. Unfortunately I don't know when I'm going to be updating again. It will definitely be when I come back from Japan. I will be going for a week and it's going to be awesome. I'm gonna go on a shopping spree.
> 
> This chapter I felt didn't move the plot forward but I decided to write it like this anyway because I was focusing too much on Makoto's end. I wanted to dedicate this chapter to Haru and Rin and write what's going on in their lives. Hopefully I'll be able to get the plot going in the next chapter once I figure out what's gonna happen. This story is writing itself, I don't even know what's gonna happen anymore. LOL!!!!
> 
> Please comment and/or give me kudos. I love those. And feel free to give me suggestions about what you would want to happen. I'll roll it around in my mind and see how well it fits with my own plans for the story (which I honestly don't have). Thank you everyone.


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